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Hot Docs Hires Robin Smith For Exhibition Biz

The veteran Canadian film distributor will select and book films for the Bloor Cinema in downtown Toronto.

TORONTO – Veteran Canadian distributor Robin Smith is to pilot the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary into the indie film exhibition business.

North America’s largest documentary festival hired Smith, who runs the Toronto-based KinoSmith distribution shingle, to program the Bloor Cinema in downtown Toronto as part of a recently-struck joint venture.

Smith, who helps Canadian filmmakers market their indie films and executive produces a range of local film and TV projects, will select and book films to screen at the Bloor after a reopening this Fall.

Hot Docs is to operate the indie cinema with Toronto-based film financier Blue Ice Film, which recently teamed up with Doug Mankoff’s Echo Lake Entertainment to launch a private equity film fund for mid-budget movies with bankable stars and directors for global sale.

The Canadian documentary festival is following the Toronto International Film Festival into the exhibition business after the annual September event opened Bell Lightbox for year-round indie film programming.